Avoiding A Nightmare
by herzeleidx
Summary: He watched her, unable to take his eyes off of her. How long had it been? Five, six years perhaps maybe fewer, but that didn’t matter all he knew is that it had been much too long. [Yuriku]


Hey ya'll this is just another one-shot I wanted to write. I am beginning to question what is with me and the one-shot's lately, sigh oh well. Enjoy! R&R Please! No flames!

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He felt his eye lids become heavy, his normally strong body falling weak, do to lack of rest. He had not slept for days, and the thought of actually falling into a slumber frightened him. He felt his head droop slightly and his eyes close, but he quickly snapped back up, he could not fall asleep, he will not. For if he were to fall asleep he would fall into a dream, no scratch that, fall into a restless nightmare filled with sadness and pain, but most of all if he fell asleep he would see _her_.

**:In Another Place:**

"Oh gawd," The ninja whined, bending over to pick up another vase she had broken, "Aerith is going to kill me." Now many people would think, some one as smart mouthed and arrogant as Yuffie would not be afraid of the pink clad flower girl, but if you looked deeper into that, past her gentle nature you would find a wrath stronger than many could imagine. For the kind woman could be scarier than Leon when he was in an **extremely **bad mood, and _that_ was saying something.

She collected the shattered glass shards and walked off, carrying them off to the nearest disposal bag. She hopped up the steps and turned to the left, walking toward the large wooden door to enter the library, but because opening the door required her to hold the glass in one hand against her stomach, she stabbed herself.

"Oww!" She exclaimed dropping the pieces to the floor.

"Yuffie, are you alright?" Leon asked, coming up behind the girl.

"Yes Leon ," she retorted, "I'm fine, I only just cut myself with a piece of glass."

He sighed and bent over to collect the glass, he gathered all the pieces then handed them to the girl, and then opened the door for her.

"Thanks." She muttered as she walked into the library, she heard the door shut behind her, creating a hollow echoing sound throughout the empty room. She discarded the glass into the trash can before striding over to a section of books. She glanced at the titles, 'Nightmare Room', 'Thicker Than Water', and a personal favorite of hers, 'Inkspell'. She pulled the book from the shelf and went to sit down in the window sill to read.

She sat down, the absence of the sun making her shiver; she looked around once more to make sure she was alone before beginning to read.

**:Somewhere Else:**

He watched her, unable to take his eyes off of her. How long had it been? Five, six years perhaps maybe fewer, but that didn't matter; all he knew is that it had been much too long.

Oh how he wanted to go to her, to tell her that he was back and that he would be staying, and that they could be together again. But he knew he couldn't, she could never forgive him for leaving like that, and besides she would be frightened of the monster he had become. So he had to settle for watching from a distance where he could drink in the changes she had made, but she could not his.

'Will I have to lye awake every night, afraid to sleep because of the nightmares that come with slumber? Or will I be able to face her again?' He thought before returning to watch the raven haired girl he had betrayed.

**:Back with Yuffie:**

Unaware of the fact that she was being watched, the young ninja continued to read, her attention focused into the book, oblivious to her surroundings. But suddenly she heard footsteps. Her eyes shot up and she looked around. Sure, the Heartless were gone, but who says the can't come back?

"Hello? Anyone there?" She called, no answer, she shrugged, "Guess it was my imagination." And returned to her reading, but she had only been reading a few minutes before she heard the same footsteps again. "Okay, whoever this is, it's not funny." She said, her voice wavering. She shut the book and stood up and walked around the room, searching for anything, anyone. "Hello?" She called again. She wandered down an isle, books on either side of her, she heard someone humming a soft melody, she turned the corner expecting a monster of some sort, she launched at the person.

"HIYA-Aerith?" She questioned feeling confused. She saw Aerith jump and drop the book she was reading.

"Oh, Yuffie," She said sounding unnerved, "I didn't know anyone was in here."

"Neither did I." She admitted.

"My, you frightened me," Aerith said smiling, "What are you doing in here?"

" Reading ." She replied, "I heard someone walking so I decided to check it out."

"Oh well, I wasn't walking." Aerith said.

"Oh, um okay." Yuffie said, she heard the footsteps again, "Hear them?"

Aerith's eyes widened and she nodded, "Come on Yuffie," She urged, "Let's get going."

Yuffie silently agreed and they both left quickly.

**:In the dining room:**

"It was strange Squall," Aerith said, "There were just hollow foot steps, no one was there, I was sure of it."

"That is strange." Squall agreed.

Yuffie sat alone in the corner, her mind wondering on who could've been in the library, and the first person that came to mind was **_him_**. She hadn't seen him for so long, and truth be told, she missed him, she missed him a lot. She missed everything about him, everything he used to say. She missed the promises he would make to her, how he always told her that she was beautiful, and that he would never want her to change, that he would always love her for just being herself, but he would be surprised. Ever since the day he left she had changed, becoming more off a smart ass everyday, dressing in head-to-toe in black and becoming more distant. She gave a long loud sigh.

"Yuffie, what is it?" Aerith asked.

"Oh nothing, I'm just thinking about him." She replied, from the corner of eye she saw Leon 's jaw clench, and his knuckles became white from gripping the fork to hard. She knew he never liked her being with him.

"I thought you forgot about him a long time ago." He growled.

Yuffie narrowed her eyes, "No," She said icily, "I didn't. Sorry to disappoint you." She shot him another cold glare before stomping out of the room.

"Poor girl." Aerith said sympathetically, Leon just sighed.

**:A little ways off:**

'He hurt her,' the figure thought angrily, 'He hurt her.' The phrase kept repeating itself in his head and the thought was driving him insane. He did not do well when it came to hurting the one he loved, in a way she was poison, intoxicating his body, making his every thought and physical movement of his devoted to her. She was his support when he needed her, when the regret and pain was too unbearable, she was there. And the same goes for him, when she was upset or angry he would be there for her, they bond between them was unbelievably strong and there was no way he would let Leon get away with that. But he would have to deal with that later right now he had to find Yuffie.

**:In Yuffie's Room:**

Yuffie watched the rain clouds gather, they looked so…frightening, enormous, dark angry rain clouds, that's what they were. She had always had a fear of thunder storms, ever since she had gotten lost in one, but he had come to save her…

**FLASHBACK **

_"Hello!" She called into the dark night, "Is anyone there?" But her frantic cries were useless; no one could hear her because of the thunder. She ran forward, occasionally slipping because of the muddy footing. "Oh, where are they?" She cried. The icy wind was stingy her exposed skin and the rain was pounding against her head and shoulders. She was freezing due to the lack of a coat and just searching around in a green tang top and beige khaki shorts. She continued walking, looking for her friends but was becoming very tired and very cold. "_ _Aerith_ _Leon_ _!" She yelled, she turned around looking everywhere, but she knew she was in the middle of nowhere and no one could find her, tears stung her eyes, "What am I going to do?" _

_She sunk down to her knees as sobs erupted from her throat, she began sobbing hysterically her shoulders shaking and the tears streaming down her face becoming ice cold, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. She figured she die out here from hypothermia anyway, so she just kept crying. _

_"Are you alright?" A deep voice asked, Yuffie raised her head and she saw a figure with cold blue/green eyes. _

_"N-no, I-I'm l-l-lost a-and I c-can't f-f-find m-my w-way b-b-b-back." She stammered, partly from crying and partly from fear. _

_She saw his cold eyes soften and he stuck out his hand, "Here come with me." He said quietly. She reached up and hesitantly grasped his hand, he pulled her up with ease, but as she stood her knees buckled from what she guessed was weakness. _

_"Here." He said and picked her up like a prince would to a princess and carried her back to his house, along the way she fell asleep. _

_She slowly opened her eyes and sat up, she was surprised for a moment to see she wasn't in her room at the castle, but was instead greeted with a cozy fire and was under soft blankets. She shook her head and sniffed. 'Where am I?' She remembered running through the forest trying to find her friends and then starting to cry and someone finding her, but she did not clearly see who the person was. _

_"You're awake." The person's deep voice stated, she glanced over to where the voice had come from and was very shocked to see that he was **very** handsome. _

_"Yeah," She said weakly, "Though I feel horrible." _

_"I bet, you looked as if you were out there for a long time." He said, handing her a bowl. She looked down at it warily, "Relax, it's just soup." She lifted the steaming broth to her lips and sipped it. _

_"Thanks." She said gratefully. _

_They were silent for a long time, but finally her savoir spoke again, "Why were you out there?" _

_"I was searching for my friends because I was lost." She replied. _

_He nodded his head, "What's your name?" He questioned. _

_"Yuffie Kisaragi, yours?" _

_"My name is…"

* * *

_

Yuffie was brought back to reality by the sound of a soft sound coming from outside her window, she glanced at the window and saw _his _face, she saw the face that she had come to love. Her eyes widened in disbelief before scrambling over to the window and putting her hand against it. It was cold. She saw happiness flood into his eyes, but it was quickly replaced with sorrow and regret.

"You came back." She whispered, he placed his hand on the window, so it was against hers, but there was a glass wall separating them, but she could change that. She removed her hand and moved it to the handle of the window, going to open it. But just as she opened it he disappeared, "No! Come back!" She cried desperately.

**:Outside:**

'She looks as beautiful as ever.' He thought, while striding across the muddy field. He had done it, he had been able to look into her stunning indigo eyes and see her elegant features again. And if only for a few minutes in reality, for in his state of mind it was an eternity. When she had opened the window, he had wanted to come in, he really did, but he couldn't face her, he couldn't hear the pain in her voice. He sighed, "Maybe someday." He whispered aloud.

**:Back with Yuffie:**

She saw him slowly walk across the stones and knew she had to talk to him. She turned around and ran out of the door, down the steps and toward the front door. She flung open the door and ran outside. The rain came down hard, stinging her shoulders like a thousand needles being stuck into her skin. She gasped at the pain it caused, but she continued on, running as if she were running from death, she finally saw him, "Wait!" She called out, she saw him pause briefly and looked back before shaking his head and walking forward, "Don't go!" She yelled, but he still trudged onward, "Don't go…" She choked out before collapsing in sobs once again.

It was like he was over here in seconds, like her anguished cries beckoned him to return to her, to comfort her. She felt his strong arms fold around her frail body as he pulled her to him, holding her tightly as if to feel she was really there. He was terrified to hear what she would say when she stopped crying, but at that moment it didn't matter, all that mattered was that he was holding her again. She clung to him, her body shaking uncontrollably, her breathing ragged.

He slowly rocked her back-and-forth, trying to calm her and eventually he did, her sobs subdued and she began to shake less. He could've left then, but he didn't, he wouldn't he was determined to face her. Finally she was completely calm, though still a little shaken, she didn't move from her spot, she knew this is where she belonged, in his arms. His head was hooked on her neck and his arms were around her shoulders.

After a moment she spoke, "Why did you leave?" She questioned, she could feel him tense.

"Because it was the only way to protect you, I knew he wanted me to come back and would hurt anyone I cared for just for my return, I couldn't have that happen." He replied sadly.

"We could've helped you and you know it." She said fiercely.

"I know," He said, "I just didn't want to get you involved."

"You were gone for a long time." She stated.

He sighed, "I know."

"I missed you a lot." She continued.

"You did?" He asked sounding surprised.

"You sound shocked." She said, forcing a laugh, but they both knew it wasn't a joke.

"I thought you would be angry." He admitted.

This time it was her turn to sigh, "I was at first, I kept thinking how you just left me, without a word, but after awhile I began to miss you a lot. I spent much of my time thinking of you, becoming more and more withdrawn everyday. We all had a lot of hope at first, well at least Aerith did, Leon told me that you were never coming back. Aerith yelled at him for that, but as time moved on Aerith lost all hope, but I never did. I always knew you would come back."

'She believed in me, even after all those years.' He thought stunned.

"I prayed every night for your safe return, and you finally did." She said softly, and at that moment she pulled back and lightly placed her hand on the side of his face, she tilted her head up and he took the hint and brought his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

When he broke the kiss he was greeted with a huge smile, his eyes softened and he held her tighter, "I love you Yuffie." He said.

"I love you too Riku." She said before sealing his lips in another sweet kiss.

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Oh my gosh, I think this was actually one of my better fic's since most of em' suck, but anyways, I'd like to say thanks to Annjirika for always revising my stories, and I'd like to agree with KairiLuv when she said that I was jumping up and down because I was. Anyway I actually was having a very hard time deciding who the guy was going to be, it was between Riku and Cloud, and for Ann, I made it Riku. But I will still write Clouffies for they are also my favorite. Oh and I am welcome to any challenges given to me because I have a challenge for KairiLuv. :laughs manically: Well review please! And no flames!


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